Electric chime and carrier for the vibratory and striker elements thereof



May 2,1950

L. e. BERGERON 2,506,009 ELECTRIC CHIME AND CARRIER FOR THE VIBRATORY AND STRIKER ELEMENTS THEREOF Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l fig. 4

INVENTOR.

LAWRENCE a. BERGEROA/ 770 PNEXS- G. BERGERON 2,506,009

L. ELECTRIC CHIME AND CARRIER FOR THE VIBRATORY AND STRIKER ELEMENTS THEREOF Filed Nov. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 2, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

L nweehkce seems/201v BY ATTO R'VEYS.

Patented May 2, 1950- "ELECTRIC :CHIME AND ZCARRIER .FDR :THE QVIBRATORY [AND STRIKER ELEMENTS THEREOF ZiLamencefi. 'Bergeron, Cleveland, Ohio, lassignor rnf :ifcrty-five one hundredths to S. Eldridge "Sampliner, Euclid, --,0hio

Application..Novemher 8, 1946, Serial No. 708;716

' The present invention, 'while rela'ting particularly-as indicated'to'chimestresonated bells? such are adapted for household 11se,"*re1ates in a broader sense to signal -'or 'sound produc'ing devices irrespective of the use to which they are put.

I am aware of the 'fact that signal-devices have been heretofore deve'lcpedinwhich the striker and vibratory element thereofeare confined with- "in *a housingsympathetically tuned *with the vibratory-element. fieweverf in these priorart'devices-the particular mo'imting fer such elements is adaptedonly for usein conjunction witha particular resonance housing --=0r housings that is, 'for examplefifer eithera so-calied single or dual or universal purp0sedeViCe and, therefore,- entirely different mountings a-re required for each difierent type of'device. "The --aioresaid terms single purpose," dual --=purpose and universal wurpes e herei-n" used 'to respectively desig- 'nate devices which are-capable of emanating-a single note, a double note and both-asingle and double note, said latter-type being desirable for example in household installations-"to enable the tenant or owner to readily determine which 101 two push buttonshave been actuated. Furthermore, Q5

in'such prior-art devices, the resonance chambers "associated withvibratoryelements of different pitches havebeen of difierent lengths whereby thefcrmation or composite-units of the dual or "universalpurposetype-hashot been feasible.

Accordingly, it isone principal object or this invent on to provide a signaldeviee "which; in afidition to being *capable'of reinforcing or intensifying the sound produced by a" vibratory element, is= of such-"construction "that the principal elements 'thereo'f, viz., the vibratory and striker elements on-an interchangeable carrier can-be inserted-into any 0f severaliorms of resonance housings. 3

It is another object efthis invention to provide a signal device in -whi-ch'-the striker and'vibratory elements are e'ffectivel-y retained" within the resonance housing -=Wi17h0tlt the necessity of employing screws, 'rivets "or the "like or of performing welding soldermger'likeoperations.

A further abject or this invention: is to Provide a movel form of::'carrier iron whlch both "the viemery element :and the striker element "may be mounted-to thus 'form a simple unitary structure msertable into any appropriate iresonance hous- 15A "still further objecto! 5 invention I is to cproviderza'movelrrresonamce chanib'erfin the gen- 'arail' ionnofseitheratubefhavingea elosed end or tsymlaathtically timed wlth Gi t a selected vibratory element "by ;the 1 length "and location ofan opening along a longitudinaliy-ex- *cia lly desirable "from the istandpointsi'of balanced -ornate appearance and rnanufacturin vfacility.

.A'still further object of this-invention is ito provide a novel'form of-striker mechanismhaving means for "yield'ably retaining the striker yinraa "position such Ithatitsone endiis spaced aways-from "the vibratory element which it is adapted to strike, "butthat upon movementof said striker' away from said vibratory eiemen't followed i-byzmovementithereo'f toward saidvibratory elementfith'e inertia-thereofwill 'cause the same'to momentarily move beyond such -normal *position to strike-and bounce-away from such-vibratory :element to thus produce a clear note of substantialintensity.

Other objects and advantages of th invention will become apparent 1 as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment. of the f oregoing and relatedends, said inventionthen comprises the 'features hereinafter fully describe'dand particularly pointed out in the claims, i the: following description and the annexed drawingssetting forth in detail certai -n illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicativehowever, of beta *f-ewcf the various ways inwhich'the principle ofthe invention may be employed.

"In the drawings:

'Figs. '1,*2 and3 are'views "of a single purpose signal device, Fig. 1 being a central cross-section view'longitudinally through the resonanee ho'using as indicatedby the line l--"I Fig.' 2," and Figs. *2 an'd3 being a top plan- View of the device illustrate'd'in Fig. 1 and a transverse cross section View taken along line 3-3, "Fig; -1, respectively;

Fi'gs.=4and"5 are a central cross section view longitudinally through the resonance housing along line t-+ 5, "Fig. 5, and a top nlan :view,:re spectively; of a'dual-purpose device;

Figssfi, 7 and 8 are views :of "a universal-mm -pose "signal device, "Fig. 6 being a --centra=l cross section view longitudinally-through the resonance housing :and Figs." 'Z' and *8 being transverse and longitudinal cross section views taken along-lines "I -1 and 8-'8, .Fig -6,. respectively pand Fig: 9 is a perspective viewer the lmitary removable -sti-ik erarid 'vibra'tory assembly ieilhIS'-. tratedinFigs.ilf3'and4.

Referring n0w tothe-drawing and firststo mgs.

d of ousi I, I have found that by varying the size thereof, it is possible to sympathetically tune the resonance chamber formed by housing I with vibrator element 2 without varying the length of said housing. Whatever the scientific foundation for such tuning may be, it has been determined that an increase in the pitch of the vibratory element necessitates an increase in the size of opening 5 in order to effect reinforcement or intensification of the sound emanating from the vibratory element.

The vibratory element 2 and the striker lement 3 are each mounted on a single carrier 6 which is slidably fitted into housing I and retained therein simply by the friction between said carrier and the inside wall of the housing. Said carried 6 comprises a channel-like body portion formed with parallel flanges 1 and a bottom con necting portion 8 shaped transversely so as to fit into one of the corners of housing I, as shown in Fig. 3. At each end of said carrier 6 and adjacent the edges of the flanges I, there are a plurality of slots 9 which define lugs over which the inwardly extending tension springs Ill may be hooked. The inner end of each spring Ill is formed with a hook engageabl in one of the two apertures l I in vibratory element 2 whereby said vibratory element may be resiliently supported between flanges 1 out of engagement with the carrier proper. Several slots 9 are provided so that any of several different vibratory elements may be mounted thereon with springs 10 being located preferably at or near the nodal points of the vibratory element. The bottom connecting 14 in register with such openings and then letting the flanges I spring together.

Mounted on web I2 is a solenoid l5, surrounding which is a casing [-6 having lugs l1 projected through apertures in web l2 and bent over to retain the solenoid in place relative to web I 2. Casing I6 is s otted as at l8 so that the solenoid leads. not shown, may project through such slot for convenient connection to a suitable source of electric current. Wihin solenoid l5 and formed as a part of casing is is a tube [9 preferably of brass or like material. The striker element 3 consists at least in part of iron or like magnetizable material and is reciprocable in said tube [9. Striker 3 is yieldably held in its retracted position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, by means of a tension spring 2|] having its opposite ends respectively connected to an end cap 2| on tube l9 and to striker 3. A cushioning washer 22 is pref erably disposed in cap 2i to prevent objectionable banging of striker 3 against said cap. That end Fi l of striker 3 which is adapted to strike vibratory element 2 is preferably of brass or like material, although it is contemplated that materials such as leather, felt or the like may be employed. The solenoid l5 and striker 3 are so spaced relative to vibratory element 2 that the efiect of the magnetic field alone urges the striker-to a position with its vibratory element striking and just short of engaging the vibratory element. However, it can now be seen that energization of solenoid I5 will urge striker 3 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to the position shown in dotted lines to cause the end thereof to strike the vibrator element and immediately bounce away therefrom and then, upon deenergization of solenoid l5, the tension spring 20 will return the striker to its retracted position. That is to say that the inertia of thestriker will carry the same far enough to the left to strike the vibratory element and at the same time the combination of the magnetic field, the spring 20 and the striking impact causes the striker to immediately retract away from the vibratory element even though the solenoid remains energized. This produces maximum amplitude of vibration of the vibratory element and results in a clear strong note which is further amplified by the sympathetically tuned resonance chamber formed by housing I.

Insofar as the device illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is the same as that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, like reference numerals have been used to designate like parts. The device illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is a dual purpose unit and, as shown, comprises two longitudinally contiguous resonance housings 25 and 26 forming a partition wall 21 therein:- tween. Housings 25 and 26 are of equal length and each is formed with a. closed upper end and a longitudinally extending opening 28 and 29, respectively, in its side wall. The length and location of such side wall opening is such as to sympathetically tune each housing with the vibratory element therein. I have found that the length of such side wall opening must be increased as the pitch of the vibratory element therein is increased. It is to be understood that instead of openings 28 and 29 being provided in the side wall of the housings, openings at the top and bottom ends may be substituted, as in the case of the unit illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The carrier assembly with vibratory element 2 and striker element 3 mounted thereon is the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that striker 3 is provided with an end 30 projected through an opening in cap 2| and through registering openings I3 and 3| in carrier 6 and partition wall 21, respectively, to a point short of engaging vibratory element 2 in housing 26. Vibratory element 2 in housing 26 is resiliently mounted on carrier 6 in a manner similar to that in hous ing 25 but because a separate striker is not required, the web plate l2 has been omitted. In this case the opening [3 in carrier 6 is in register with opening 29 in housing 26. The normal posi--, tion of projecting end 30 of the striker is as shown in Fig. 4, but such end is movable by inertia to ward the right therefrom to sharply strike the vibratory element 2 in housing 26 by interposing a compression spring 32 between cushioning washer 22 and the bottom wall of cap 2|.

It can now be seen that upon energization of solenoid l5 encased within casing IS, the striker element will move toward the left, as viewed in Fig. .4, in opposition to the tension spring 20 to strike vibratory element 2 in housing 25 in the same manner as previously described in relation "itoFlg. 1. when,amen iieenergizatien crsclenoid 15, the tension spring 20 will causefsaid striker eiement to moveteward "the right, whereupon "theinertia thereo will compres's'springl'fl so that the projecting *end 30 *of thestrikeriwilisharr t' :strikeifinhe vibratory .iele'mentsc in housing "26 and immediately upon 'sozstrik ing Fthe bratory Pelerment, the :"comptession sprin'g c'g ether with impactof the strikinggwfll 'caus'ezasain end- 311 ito :be 'force'd "thank: 410 the normal position shcw-n ii igpe. rrnus it can be:seen thatisuceessivereneirgization and deenergizationrofsolerioid 515 die iectsa two note' bing bongssignal. With asrordi *nany' pushibuttong the time intervai etween-sucb rsucees'sive notesrisyof oou-rsexdepe dent upon tlre length of time that the sdienoid' isikept-=energlzed, mt ofmoursem prwtermined time interval between such notes can be accomplished, for example, by empioying a'pus'h butto'n which closes the "electric circuitwonly momentariiyandfi trips to open the circuit, evemthoughithe'hperae tor retains .the'push buttonin adepressed p tion.

The -*so-called universal purpose signal device iillustrated 'in -FigsKS, 7 and 8 *is substaritial'lqy the, same as -the dual --purpose device illustrated in Ei-gs. -34 an'd fi. Elie-only d-ifierent 'featureadf tliis universal purpose device is that the webplaite fl m carrier ii hasmounted *thereentwo striker eleunents: am d two solenoids wheseby successiveenergization and deenergization of onesolenoid effects a two-note signal, as in the case of the dual purpose unit illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and energization of the other solenoid efiects a single note signal. Thus, the solenoids may be wired to push buttons disposed, for example, at the front and rear doors, respectively, of a home and because of the difierence in the signals, the tenant or owner can readily ascertain which push button was actuated.

While in the accompanying drawings the resonance housings are shown as being of sheet metal, it is to be understood that the same may be made from extruded tubing or, if desired, be fabricated of wood or like material in order to vary the tonal quality of the signal. However, regardless of the materials used in making the housings, it can be seen that once the sizes and lengths thereof are standardized, a single universal carrier 6, on which both the vibratory element 2 and the striker element or elements 3 are capable of being mounted, can be used in a wide variety of combinations, as for example the three variations illustrated, whereby a suitable web plate with the proper striker and solenoid assembly thereon can be readily mounted thereon and simply slipped into the housing. Likewise, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the web plate may be omitted altogether and only a vibratory element 2 mounted onto the carrier 6. To summarize, it can be seen that there is but one standard carrier 6 and two different web plates, one of which has a single or double-ended striker element thereon and the other of which has both a single-ended and a double-ended striker element thereon, all of the other parts such as the tension springs l0, solenoids l5, casings l6, etc. being identical.

, Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a vibratory element, a resonance housing thereabout, :"a elementtorieflectlngfiibtdtion oi :said vibratory :elemerit, a-iidia-cairrldrfiih. said housing on which both of said mounted, said lcarrieribeing tonmedfwithiflariges -.=yieldablyengaging sa-id housingthus fraction er-lement between said vibratoryelemeiitsadapted te be moved ''--in opposite directions 1: ailternately strike said vibratory elementsg-saidmfi element being supported by one 1 of said carriers.

3. device *of *the character described, 'co'm pris'ing a *pair' of longitudinally -poritigueus rase- "narnce lrou sings, "a *vibratory I element ma es heusing, separate carriers in each housing en which said vibrai tory elements are mounts the mounting of 'said vibratory elem'erits bei-n 'nodal pointsadjacent each end thereof, element between said vibratory elem'ents adapter! to ibe meved inopposite directions to alternately strike said vibratory elementsat points-intermediate'the noda'lpoints thereof, and another striker element adapted to be moved to strike br'it one or said-vibratory =elements *a'ta poirit' btween an'e o'fthenodal pointsand-the adjacent endtheref, bo't h of saidstrikerelements being supported by one of said carriers.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of longitudinally contiguous resonance housings, a vibratory element in each housing, separate carriers in each housing on which said vibratory elements are mounted, a solenoid mounted on one of said carriers, and a striker element at least in part of magnetizable material within said solenoid and yieldably held in a position with one of its ends adjacent one of said vibratory elements, said striker being movable upon successive energization and deenergization of said solenoid to successively strike said vibratory elements.

5. A. device of the character described, comprising a pair of longitudinally contiguous resonance housings, a vibratory element in each housing, separate ca riers in each housing on which said vibratory elements are mounted, the mounting of said vibratory elements being at the nodal points adjacent each end thereof, two solenoids mounted on one of said carriers, and a striker element at least in part of magnetizable material within each solenoid, each striker element having one end thereof yieldably retained remotely spaced from one of said vibratory elements, and one of said striker elements having the other end thereof closely adjacent the other of said vibratory elements whereby successive energization and deenergization of one of said solenoids effects movement of the latter striker element to suecessively st ike both of said vibratory elements, and successive energization and deenergization of the other of said solenoids effects movement of the other striker element to strike but one of said vibratory elements, the ends of said one of said striker elements striking said vibratory elements at points intermediate the nodal points thereof and said other striker element striking one of said vibratory elements at a point between one of the nodal points and the adjacent end thereof.

6. A striker and vibratory element assembly for a device of the character described, comprising a channel-like body formed with spaced flanges and a longitudinally extending web transverselybetween such flanges, a vibratory element mounted between such flanges, and a striker carried by such web adapted to be moved so as to strike said vibratory element.

7. A striker and vibratory element assembly for a. device of the character described, comprising a channel-like body formed with spaced flanges, a bottom connecting portion, and a longitudinally extending web transversely between such flanges, a vibratory element mounted between such flanges, and a striker carried by such web adapted to be moved so as to strike said vibratory element, said striker having an end thereof projecting through an opening in the bottom connecting portion of said body.

8. A striker and vibratory element assembly for a device of the character described, comprising a channel-like body formed with spaced flanges, a bottom connecting portion, and a longitudinally extending web transversely between such flanges, a vibratory element mounted between such flanges, and two strikers carried by such web each adapted to be moved so as to strike said vibratory element, one of said strikers having an end thereof projecting through an opening in the bottom connecting portion of said body.

9. A striker and vibratory element carrier for a device of the character described, comprising a channel-like body formed with spaced flanges including a plurality of openings therethrough, and a web disposed transversely between such flanges formed with projecting lugs thereon fitted into such flange openings.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of hollow elongated resonance housings of the same length each formed with a closed upper end and an open lower end and an opening in its side wall, vibratory elements in each of said housings capable of emitting notes of different pitch, and striker means for efiecting vibration of said vibratory elements, the side wall opening in the housing associated with the vibratory element of higher pitch being larger than that in the housing associated with the other vibratory element whereby the resonance chambers formed by said housings are sympathetically tuned with the vibratory elements therein.

I LAWRENCE G. BERGERON.

'- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,120,153 Rittenhouse et al. June 7, 1938 2,189,181 Rittenhouse Feb. 6, 1940 2,194,507 Lord et al. Mar. 26, 1940 2,227,227 Mason Dec. 31, 1940 2,333,515 Brewer et al Nov. 2, 1943 2,333,875 McMullen Nov. 9, 1943 

